Autumn through to Spring
by OriginalBubble
Summary: They met when they had nothing to really call their own, and seperated like all must do when held by the hands of fate. When they meet again 5 years down the line, can they recapture what they had? - AU Max/Alec -


Fate

Max rushed to get into the elevator thanking whatever higher power there was that she didn't trip and break her neck over these ridiculous shoes. She smoothed down the pale green suit that she had borrowed from Kendra and stifled a grimace… what she wouldn't give to be on her motorcycle right now…

Suddenly the already cramped space of the lift became even tighter.

"Hey buddy, watch it!" she growled as a heavy shoe came dangerously close to squashing hers.

"Well, _sorry_." He mumbled.

_Better be _Max snorted before she turned in search of the idiot who had caused the problem to escalate in the first place… and there, was the smooth voice apologising to the women around him, obviously smiling at them beguilingly… Max hardly had the time to collect her disgust before the doors closed and the lift shuddered and took off.

'Why are some women so desperate?' she asked herself, as another sickening giggle bounced off the walls. Since randomly shouting at the group might not be the best of way of handling the situation, she had decided – after placing a subtle elbow into the fat pig who was breathing into her ear – that it was all the his fault.

So, with her mind made up she decided to murderously glare at the 'Romeo' who had caused this mess in the first place…

Alec's smile faltered slightly as he felt the heavy gaze behind him, but before he had the chance to turn around the doors surged open.

He only caught a glimpse of her dark hair and indignant expression before he was carried by the wave of people to his destination.

He didn't know why it was bothering him so much.

You couldn't win them all, although he loathed admitting it.

She could have been a love starved housewife depressed at her lot in life, or a man hating feminist, or just simply a bitch.

He shrugged his shoulders, then why was it bugging him so much?

"Mr McDowell?" came a voice.

Alec shook off his thoughts and became focused on the task at hand. Putting on a charming smile he followed the now flustered secretary into the office…

* * *

There was no crowd around the lift this time as Alec stood staring at the numbers despondently, his interview had crashed and burned… through no fault of his own. The interviewer just _had_ to be an old dragon, bent on the obstruction and destruction of young, intelligent and beautiful people's careers. That was the last hit on the job list… he could always try to squeeze a few more favours from people but they were starting to get weary of him and his schemes.

Stifling a sigh he got into the lift and punched the ground button. His glanced around, before dark wavy hair caught his attention.

Her eyes were cast downwards and her mouth was trying to hold back a grimace… seemed like whatever purpose she had come in for, went about as well as his.

She was small, slender and… delicate looking, he found that her honeyed skin and pink lips appealed to him.

"You know you should try smiling, it would probably make you feel a lot better." He said to her smiling.

Her eyes snapped up as her dark eyes narrowed in on him… in recognition perhaps.

"Excuse me?" she said obviously not impressed with his attempt to 'make friends'

Alec's grin widened, she was beautiful, maybe even more so now the stirring of anger lurked beneath those brown eyes.

"I just thought you needed a little cheering up. What? Bad interview?"

He watched as she stiffened slightly before turning to give him all her attention, her eyes were chilling, but for some reason Alec couldn't bring himself to stop. Baiting her took some of the edge off of the disappointment he had been feeling after the disastrous interview.

"I'm sorry," he drawled "my name is Alec, and you are?"

"None of your concern." She snapped, turning away from him, she could hardly not notice the other people hurriedly looking away only to stare in fascination at the wall or their shoes.

Only a striking black woman dressed in hip-hugging jeans and a scarlet top emblazoned with the words 'freedom fm' didn't take her eyes of them, her dark eyes gleaming in unconcealed amusement while she lifted a brow at Max as if to ask _you gonna let him get away that girl?_

The doors pinged open and most of the people in the lift scurried out.

The doors closed before she heard him murmur _'ah, playing hard to get'_

She turned on him.

"_What _is your _problem_ smart ass?"

"Smart _Alec_"

"I don't care _who_ the hell you are! Just get up on outta my face and there won't be a problem here, understand?" she grated, eyes flashing, taking a menacing step forward.

"Ok, calm down." He said as if trying to placate her while raising his hands in apparent surrender "I was only trying to be polite."

"You were _only_ trying to be a pain."

He opened his mouth again but the doors whooshed opened and she stalked out, his mouth hung open for a few seconds before he rushed out after her.

"Hey!" he called out.

* * *

"Hey!" he called out.

Max turned around, ready if necessary to cause this fool grievous bodily harm. She cracked her knuckles.

That would make her feel better after that charade of an interview… the interviewer just had to be a fool who couldn't write his own name correctly… probably just like our boy here, she thought irritably, as she watched him saunter towards her.

His hazel eyes sparkled and his mouth curved into a sweet mischievous smile… no wander those women had been giggling like brainless idiots she thought irritably.

"Hey come on, there's no reason for us perfectly mature adults to be acting like children. I apologise…" he trailed off looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to flash him an embarrassed grin and supply her name.

She crossed her arms, still refusing to tell this fool anything, she was _not_ acting childish, what did her name have to do with him?

"Amy?" he tried.

"Tina?" she raised a brow at him.

"Rose?" now this was getting ridiculous…

"Mary?"

Did she look like a Mary? Why was she still standing here listening to this fool babble on anyways? She had a date with a box of fried chicken followed by a long hot soak in the tub…

* * *

"Hey!" Came another voice, it was the woman from the elevator.

"Hey." Alec practically purred when she came closer.

She raised a brow at him then shook her curly head and smiled.

"Don't even try it boy, I don't swing that way kay?"

Max smirked at the way he pouted in disappointment.

Then raised a brow at the smile the woman suddenly shot at her, did she think she swung _her_ way? The woman gave a minute shake of the head.

There was silence as the woman seemed to take them in, her ebony gaze jumping from one to another and then back again.

"You two are good together." She said.

Max choked, while Alec smiled down at the woman quizzically, trying to figure her out, what was she, an artist? A model scout? Never, never, again…

"But, you would be even better on radio." She added.

Two business cards emblazoned with the words freedom fm appeared in her hand. "You two should swing by and give OC a holla, maybe she could hook you up with a lil something, something, in the ways of a job." She said as they studied the cards.

"I be OC, by the way, and you are?" she added.

"Max." she said automatically liking this girls warm smile.

"Max," the woman repeated smiling slyly "and you?"

"Alec." He said smoothly flashing another grin before turning to stare at Max in betrayal

"Uh, huh." She said arching a brow at Alec and apparently, his defeat. "The address is on the back of the cards. Monday's a good day, between one and two." She said sauntering off to one of the exits "I'll be seeing you." Her voice floated back.

"Well that was weird." Said Alec turning back to 'Max', but… he was just talking to air. The infuriating woman must have just walked _away_ from him.

'Oh well' he thought glancing at the card. 'At least something good came out of this day.' He thought walking out of the building, smirk in place.


End file.
